I have somewhat of a bias when it comes to technology. As much of a gadget fan as I am, I am most excited about those products that really address some of the basic needs that people have and make life just a little bit simpler and more organized. And frankly, the home is where the sweet spot is. The refrigerator is not a very sexy product and digital frames (like iPod docks) are now ubiquitous and a dime a dozen. But the combination of a refrigerator with a digital frame is one of those simple mashed-up ideas that are inspired.
The kitchen is the centerpoint of the modern home, still much more so than the family room with that enormous flat screen. The Westinghouse refrigerator elegantly answers a few problems: (1) What do I do with all those digital photos that never see the light of day on my computer, (2) How do I get those stupid magnets off my expensive stainless steel appliances, and (3) How do I engage my family in the place that they spend the most time without turning on another TV?
I know it’s an unusual choice for a top pick with all this other cool stuff around, but in terms of practical use and ready to market availability, this is on a short list of the things I came away wanting immediately.
iRiver’s W7 - a GPS/MP3/FM Tuner/Floor Wax (kidding) - won the CES Award for Best Designed Music Player device. I’d agree with that, as would most of writers who attended CES.
So why so few pictures of it reports? Years ago when MP3 players were first launched, iRiver (along witH Creative) came out with competing players to the iPod that were, in nearly all functions, not only competitive but generally better. But Apple has the marketing magic and iRiver fell off the radar a bit. Now they’re back, better than ever, with industry standard design - but still, apparently, no marketing savvy.
Some ill informed PR person decided to go the way of Panasonic, Sony and some of the other biggies who can afford to make media do extra work and neglected to make product photos available to bloggers and the like. Fine for the first couple of days, but when it looks like you’re about to win major industry recognition, you figure someone would get it together. After a signficant amount of jostling with people clearly don’t share my sense of personal space, I got this photo.
On the serious side, I mentioned this to my wife assuming that she’d get the weirdness of this thing as I did and we’d share a laugh. To the contrary, she loves the idea.
So what’s my issue with this product? Well, a couple things:
1. So you’re a woman with your cute pink Taser that matches your Razr that matches your Fendi. And like most women, you carry said Fendi under your arm, zipped up in the way you’ve been taught in order to keep people from stealing it.
So where’s the Taser? Well if it’s in the purse, the only way it’s going to useful is if you have some suspicion that you will be mugged and have ample to time to react and get it out. Thugs rely on the element of surprise. You’ve lost your jump on the bad guy if you keep it tucked away.
2. So carry it, right? Well the whole point of carrying a weapon - even a can of mace - is the visual deterrent it offers. If I’m Mr. Thug, am I deterred by something that matches your shoes and looks like a big cell phone?
3. As we’ve seen on so many CNN videos, even trained cops seem to be tasing the wrong people - pregnant women, college students, old men. If trained people don’t have the judgment to know who’s a threat, how confident am I as a Black man that Susie Jane from Idaho has better street skills.
On the other hand, as a home protection device instead of a gun, it makes perfect sense. But in black, not in fuschia.
Grey is the new black and electro-shock is the new mace. Taser launched its new C2 line of personal protection devices that is targeted to the female demo and comes in new ultra stylish colors like pink, yellow, red and this lovely leopard print version. So when that guy punches you and steals your purse, he’ll have a nice matching taser to go with your wallet. Nice.
Potential buyers at the show had plenty of eager volunteers willing to be tased so that could look cool to the Playboy Bunny/Taser booth babes. Dorks.
Did I mention it’s also an MP3 player?
Hard to explain, but let’s give it a try:
Panasonic’s Living Wall projects a customizable living room/mural onto your wall space (complete with virtual fireplace, aquarium and flat panel TV. The mural is actually an interface with which you can control through motion detection your music, movies, home security and (if you have complimentary cameras for the system) call up live pictures from any room in the house and lets you, for example, watch the baby while doing the dishes or entertaining.
The virtual TV and aquarium are linked into multimedia, so when you kids want to have fun they can wave at the aquarium on the wall and it turn the entire wall into a virtual Great Barrier Reef that they can navigate around. Ditto for the TV, which will be linked to travel documentaries that will take to the top of mountains or let you explore Beijing streets.
In a word, remarkable. Will it ever come to market? And does anybody even have a wall big and bare enough for it to make sense. No telling, but you can dream…
Pioneer’s high end ELITE brand debuted its experimental KURO project, a set of high performance TV monitors that produce “absolute black” contrast ratios. So black, in fact, that pictures taken of iit live at CES come out too dark to register. Colors pop so intensely that they nearly mimic 3D.
To answer your second question: Yes, there are robots, though not as many as you might imagine. The emphasis here is the direct to consumer market, not just pure innovation. Robotics are now taking the form of adult Legos, with companies offering erector sets of robot parts for do-it-yourselfers. This one is from Roboware.
Another trend: converting your cellphones to landlines. PhoneLabs has come up with a docking and phone system that allows you to make your cellphone your home phone in a more permanent way. The system connects via bluetooth or the “Dock & Talk” module that also charges your mobile. Great for people who work at home and don’t want to keep track of a cellphone. One drawback: The best case for a land line is for emergencies. If there’s a power outage, you’re back on the cell for only as long as your battery holds out.
For all those guys who can’t quite get the words “Marry Me” out without choking, a solution. A ring box with a mini video screen embedded. You can videotape your proposal and just have the UPS guy deliver it. Who needs all that stress, anyway? The makers, Euricase, say it’s a major hit with military men stationed in Iraq who can’t do the deed in person.
Destined for Oprah’s “favorite things”.
OK, so we watched too many cartoons. Remember Uniblab, the spying robot from the Jetsons? Well, here it is. From Microrobot, a Roomba-style vacuum with cameras that cleans your house or office and spies on your family/workers at the same time. It’s unclear how much you get to spy on from floor level, but you can track the nocturnal patterns of mice and cockroaches.
